Equipment Manager

Equipment Managers somehow work with the same amount of time every day to maintain scores of football helmets, shoulder pads, track equipment, and coaches. To say nothing of laundry, communications equipment, and tracking truckloads of apparel.

Each day requires more time, more work, more energy.

And so, Student Equipment Managers were created.

Helmet Tracker talked with seasoned college Equipment Managers to create the Top Seven Things to Look For When Hiring Student Equipment Managers.

7

Use Your Student Equipment Managers' Friends Network.

It's not who you know, but who they know.

“We rely on the students who are here working for us first and foremost,” says Sonny Sanfilippo, Assistant Director of Athletic Equipment Services at San Diego State University. “They know what it takes and it seems these kids have a lot of friends on campus.”

You may not think that your student managers, stuck in the bowls of your facility folding laundry at all hours would have a network of friends, but don't underestimate the bright personality that draws other campus students to your Student Equipment Managers – that and being part of your program.

“They know what the job takes–what it entails. They know it isn't for everyone and takes a special type of person,” Sonny says.

Al Cerbe, Head Football Equipment Manager at Kansas State, said he very rarely has to go out and search for Student Equipment Managers.

“Nine times out of ten I tell my current Student Managers when we have an opening and they go out and recruit.,” he said. Those recruits start to add up. Cerbe has 10 people on a waiting list to work in his equipment room.

6

Resumes, Job History, Activities, Grades

Hiring is hiring. It's not a box of chocolates. You don't have to guess what you are getting. Approach to hiring Student Equipment Managers the same way any supervisor approaches anyone applying for any job.

Require a resume. Check their job history. Pay attention to their extracurricular activities. Look at their grades.

“Grades are important because this job takes a lot of time and if we see you had poor grades in high school, chances are you are not going to have success in college,” says Harley Warren, Assistant Equipment Manager at Southern Mississippi.

At K-State, Cerbe says some things stand out to him on an applicant's work history.

“Kids who work on the farm or help out on a farm, they are usually good working kids,” he said.

5

Interview

Schedule and bring in your candidates for an interview. It amazed us how many Equipment Managers mentioned how carefully they pay attention to how potential Student Equipment Managers dressed for an interview.

“If a kid comes in in sweats and a T-shirt, that's not going to work,” Warren says. “Any job interview you have to take seriously. I've worked in fast food and you still have to dress professionally, especially for the interview.”

At K-State, Cerbe interviews each applicant.

“Yes, I do watch how they dress. When a kid comes in and has khakis on and a nice shirt and even a tie, I notice that and I know that he is serious about it and that gives me a good feeling.

“On the other hand, I had an applicant come in just before Christmas. Flip flops and shorts! I wondered if he thinks this is a funny deal or a way to get close to football. When I explained the amount of work, he said that it wasn’t for him,” Cerbe says. “I wasn't surprised.”

At SDSU, Sonny also interviews applicants and makes sure to try to balance the expectations of the job with the good stuff, too.

“Some of the benefits are the game-day duties, maybe getting some gear, and potentially traveling with the team,” Sonny says. “I am always checking for a sense of urgency in people. Things are very faced paced and coaches will not wait for anybody.

“Aside from that, we want to know if they understand football terminology.”

He tells us the number one issue that always comes up is, you guessed it, laundry.

“When we sit down with someone, we tell them the benefits and what the job entails. We talk about laundry because everyone wants to know. It's simple – you wear gloves and throw stuff into a big industrial washer. It's not difficult, just time-sensitive. It's got to be done when it's got to be done.”

What eliminates a candidate?

Lackadaisical attitude.

Desire to get gear.

Showing up late.

Sonny: “I don't have these guys out here more than they need to be, so that means they will be here on time and be ready to work.”

4

References, High School Coaches, Junior Colleges

Equipment Managers start somewhere and so do Student Equipment Managers. Some managed their high school football team or played in high school or managed at a junior or community college.

“Our Equipment Manager Pat (Patrick Stewart, Assistant Athletic Director for Equipment Operations) knows every football coach in the area and they will send kids to work,” says Warren in Hattiesburg. “I'm starting to get to know them in the area, too, so I am starting to hear from them.”

Some applicants even want to make a career in the Equipment Room, Sonny says.

“These types of people are few and far between. We have a student right now who I wish would do that, but most guys who stay really enjoy doing it for a few years and being part of the team and part of the program,” Sonny says. “The hours are long sometimes and the appreciation is low, plus the pay isn't stellar. Kids recognize all this pretty quickly.”

3

Twitter, Instagram, and Posters (really).

“We needed four people this Spring. We posted on Twitter and Instagram and got a couple of people through that,” says Sonny. But not enough. The Aztecs needed at least one more Student Equipment Manager, so they got low-tech.

Among the Lost Dog, Apartment for SubLease, Summer Painting Jobs, and Join Our Campus Ministry flyers, Sonny posted his “Student Equipment Manager Needed” flyers. It's different. It's fun. It's an opportunity to be part of Sports on Campus.

It worked.

“We needed at least one more Student Equipment Manager this Spring and so we put up some flyers and got one student that way,” says Sonny.

Just about every program posts their needs on Twitter, says Warren. “I follow most of the equipment programs who are on Twitter and they are all posting for student managers,” he said. “It works.”

2

Tryouts, Especially Spring Ball

This makes or breaks a potential Student Equipment Manager. You know it, but maybe they don't.

Your candidates don't have to know it's a tryout, either. In fact, you may get a better idea of who will fit into your staff best by not calling it a tryout.

“In the Spring, we may give some of them a couple of weeks to volunteer and see how they like it and if it doesn't work out we just tell them thanks and move on,” Warren says.

At Kansas State, Cerbe says bringing high school graduates into summer camps used to be a standard way of finding good Student Equipment Managers, but now more care must be taken.

Cerbe says NCAA rule changes prohibit him from hiring someone with a friendship or relationship with a recruit or player, so hiring through camps has to be a bit more selective. Still, it's a good way to see if someone will work out.

“Camps are a little more laid back and student managers can have a lot of leadership there,” he said. “Now, though, we eliminated incoming freshmen from coming to camps.”

Oh, and remember, your student managers are students first. Most won't pursue a career as an Equipment Manager, so it's best to remember their studies are primary.

“We've got some working for us a couple of days a week and we have to work around class schedules,” Sonny said. “We understand there is a whole life outside of here.”

1

Check the Vibe, Listen to Your Gut

Your potential Student Equipment Managers offer clues about if they will be a positive addition to your staff.

“Sometimes it's a vibe and you can pick up on that,” Warren, at Southern Miss, says. “Sometimes you get a bad feeling or you don't think it's going to work out. When that happens, we won't take them.”

Conference Championship Brackets

In Helmet Bowl III Conference play, the top four
teams in each conference qualify for the Conference Championship Brackets. The
team with the most votes will be seeded #1 and will face off against the fourth
seed. The second and third teams with the most votes will face each other.
Bracket voting begins October 7 and each round lasts one week.

We crown Conference Champions On October 21.

Conference Champions Repeat

A dozen teams won their conference championship
in Helmet Bowl I then repeated their winning ways in Helmet Bowl II.

The Lions appear safely into the Conference
Championship bracket, but trail the William Paterson Pioneers for the #1 Seed.
In this strong voting conference, the Kean Cougars and Wesley Wolverines round
out the bracket, so far.

The Helmet Bowl I National Champions hold a
strong lead in the Eastern Collegiate. Unless challenged by Monday, they will
be seeded number one. The other three teams leading now, vie for the other
seeds: Dean Bulldogs, Alfred STate Pioneers, and Maritime Privateers.

The Braves always submit a wonderful image for their
contest. They lead the Bethany Bison by just a dozen votes. However, it’s the third
and fourth place teams in jeopardy. The Sterling Warriors and Bethel Threshers
lead by just one and two votes respectively. Any of the Kansas Collegiate teams
could qualify for the Conference Championship bracket.

The Ducks lead the Buffs of Colorado by just six
votes as of this writing. If they want to three-peat, votes must push hard;
harder than Ralphie. The Stanford Cardinals and Oregon State Beavers may round
out the bracket, but are challenged by the Washington State Cougards and the
always attractive helmets of the Arizona State Sun Devils.

Look, if you don’t qualify for your Conference
Championship, you sure aren’t gonna make it into the National Championship
bracket. Get voting!

When we first looked to update the Big Sky the
thought crossed our minds: Did the Idaho State leave this conference? The
defending repeat Conference Champion Bengals are currently in EIGHTH place! The
top four here: Montana State Bobcats, Eastern Washington Eagles, Sacramento State
Hornets, and the Montana Grizzlies. However, less than three dozen votes separate
the last place California-Davis Aggies from the Bobcats, so the Big Sky is
truly up for grabs.

The Bearcats provided a great struggle against
the Central Missouri Mules in Helmet Bowl I conference voting. In HB3, so far,
they rest in second place, trailing the Northeastern State RiverHawks. The
Mules are in third, and the Nebraska Kearney Lopers hold down fourth place,
just three votes ahead of the Missouri Western Griffons.

The Yotes lead the Conference with strong voting
ahead of the Montana Western Bulldogs, Southern Oregon Raiders, and Montana
Tech Orediggers. Just one vote out of the bracket, as of now, are the
diagonally designed helmets of the Eastern Oregon Mountaineers.

Light voting here, but the Lions lead by four
votes over a unique Alma Scots lid. The Hope Flying Dutchmen (with an oddly
placed anchor) and the Kalamazoo Hornerts round out the top four. Yet, light
voting means a couple of handfuls could push anyone into the conference
bracket.

WHOA! The Fairleigh Dickinson Devils somehow got
out the vote! WHOA! They lead the defending Cougars by a factor of about 8X the
vote! In third and fourth: he Alvernia Golden Wolves and Lebanon Valley Flying
Dutchmen. A bit of advice – avoid fourth place here as the 4th seed
will be matched up against the Devils. Take a look at this conference – lots of
strong helmets here.

The Delta Devils barely register in the
Southwestern Athletic this time around. It’s not too late, we suppose, if they
want to make a strong run before noon on Monday. They need to catch the fourth
place Jaguars of Southern University and A&M. In first is the helmet of the
Arkansas-Pine Bluff Lions, followed by the Prairie View A&M Panthers and
the gold-chromed lid of the Alcorn State Braves.

The Owls reached the quarterfinals of Helmet
Bowl I as well as repeating as Conference Champions. Today they sit in third
place behind the Garner-Webb Runnin’ Bulldogs and Campbell Fighting Camels
(unique helmet, that). In fourth place, by just a few votes, is the Charleston
Southern Buccaneers. Just out of it is the Presbyterian College Blue Hose (the
Blue Hose helmet gives no indication of what a Blue Hose is, or why).

Another strong contender struggles. The Blazers, mired in
seventh place, may be out of it. The first-place West Florida Argonauts and second-place
North Greenville Crusaders are way WAY out front. The third-place West Alabama
Tigers and fourth-place Delta State Statesmen could be caught for a place in
the Conference Championship bracket.

Bottom TWENTY

Why is this important? Because only the top 60 Conference Champion vote-getters automatically qualify for the Helmet Bowl National Championship Bracket of 64. That leaves out possibly 20 Conference Champions. If your team is in one of these two charts, you are in danger of celebrating your Conference Championship, then going home.

In fact, the South Atlantic rose to the conference with the 25th
most votes in Helmet Bowl III from the fifth from last.

WOW!

Let’s take a look at their helmets.

At the top are the Lenoir-Rhyne Bears with a healthy lead
over 2) Limestone Saints (LAX powerhouse), 3) Carson-Newman Eagles, and 4) Newberry
Wolves. The Tusculum Pioneers are just 4 votes shy of making the final bracket.

Elijah Boswell was helping to restore a floor for his parents
when we called to tell him the good news this week.

Eli, a student Equipment Manager at the University of Idaho,
is the 2019 Helmet Tracker AEMA Certification Exam Scholarship winner.

“I’m flabbergasted,” he said. “It’s amazing that you offer
this opportunity for young equipment managers who are working to get into this
industry. It’s not cheap to get to Indy and pay for the exam, but if this is
what you want to do for a living, this is something you have to do.”

Helmet Tracker Scholarship

“At Helmet
Tracker, we love to support young Equipment Managers and give them a leg up in
the profession,” said Helmet Tracker co-founder Rich Hardt. “We are
happy for Eli and look forward to watching him and his career.”

Co-founder Rick
Perkins said that Helmet Tracker is committed to supporting all sports
Equipment Managers by offering the most technologically advanced, user friendly
equipment inventory software ever created. “We are known for our simple
interface and our friendly, helpful customer service,” he said. “The
Helmet Tracker Scholarship is just one way we come alongside Equipment
Managers.”

Certification
Important for Equipment Managers

Though the exam is offered two other times during the year, most Equipment Managers take it at the AEMA Convention. This year, the convention was in Indianapolis where 100 Equipment Managers took the exam and 87 passed.

“As we grow, it becomes even more important to be certified –
most schools now require having your AEMA certification or for their Equipment
Managers to get it within a year,” said Sam Trusner, AEMA Office Manager.

Sam sends each Equipment Manager who passes the exam a certificate.

“I think we have a busy future ahead of us,” he said. For
example, Equipment Managers in the NFL have recently formed a group or association
and one of the requirements they have for inclusion is certification from the
AEMA. There are nearly 1,500 members in the AEMA.

“They place a huge importance on what we do at the AEMA and
how important certification is to the profession,” Sam tells us.

Exam and then CEUs

AEMA Certification begins with passing the exam, but continues
with Continuing Education Units. Equipment Managers must qualify for six CEUs
in a three-year period, though the requirements are prorated throughout the
three-year period of time.

The exam takes about 90-minutes, though 2.5 hours is allocated. It is not sport specific, but indicates that someone who passes the exam is qualified to be an Equipment Manager for any and all sports.

Equipment Managers prepare to take the 2019 AEMA Certification Exam in Indianapolis.

“There is always more to learn in each individual sport, but
the AEMA provides the tools and connections to learn,” Sam said. “Our goal with
the exam is to make it difficult, but fair.”

There has never been a perfect score on an AEMA Certification
Exam, and scores in the 90s are rare. A passing score is adjusted each year
depending on the difficulty of the test.

The test is 100 multiple-choice questions and costs $250 to take
at the AEMA Convention. Sam strongly recommends the study book as well, at $65.

Eli an Idaho Vandal

“It is important that you guys offer this scholarship and
encourage young Equipment Managers in this profession. It’s an incentive to
work really hard,” he told us.

Though classes don’t start until August 26, Fall Football Camp
begins August 2. “There is a lot to get done,” Eli said.

Eli is one semester from earning his degree in Geography, so
this will be his last football season at Idaho. He plans to look for a Graduate
Assistant job in an equipment room where he can pursue a Master’s Degree and
continue working with college sports.

“I am really open to where I can find an opportunity. It may
be difficult at first as I am graduating in December this year, but I am
determined,” he said.

What will he do with the scholarship money?

“Honestly, I will probably use it to buy text books,” he said.

Congratulations from past winners

“First of all,
congrats to Elijah on earning the Helmet Tracker Scholarship this year,” he
wrote. “The Helmet Tracker Scholarship is not only great help financially but
it is also just a great honor to be chosen from all of the test taking
participants. Good luck to Elijah this upcoming year and just enjoy the
ride, I know I have!”

Harley left the Golden Eagle’s staff earlier this year to become a first-year teacher and coach at Stone High School in Wiggins, Mississippi.

“I plan on keeping my
AEMA certification active and using the skills I learned while at Southern Miss
to properly fit my athletes and help the coaching staff with equipment needs,”
Harley wrote. “Being AEMA certified actually helped me get this job and is a
great thing for your resume that other coaches do not have.”

“Thank you to all the guys at Helmet Tracker for all of your
support the past few years. I can't wait to vote in Helmet Bowl III as a fan
this year!”

“Congratulations to Elijah Boswell of the
University of Idaho for being the recipient of the Helmet Tracker AEMA
Certification Scholarship,” he wrote us. “As a previous recipient of the
scholarship, I believe the award is valuable more than just the monetary value,
but as a door that will present the opportunity for the recipient to make
connections and establish themselves in the equipment industry.

“Congratulations as
well for earning your AEMA certification. Your hard work will not go unnoticed.”

Eli’s background

When he applied for
the scholarship, Eli told us about his journey so far.

Eli played varsity
football and threw the shot put and discus for the track team at North Salem
High School in Salem, Oregon.

When he got to Idaho,
he heard about the jobs in the equipment room and went after it. An unofficial
tryout during Spring ball lead to a position as a student manager.

Though he plans to
earn his master’s degree in urban and regional planning, that’s a backup plan.

Managers on a Mission tells us all the time they are in the business of developing the future leaders of sport.

And that they are.

Yet, there’s more, as anyone who scratches the surface quickly finds.

When MOAM collects athletic apparel and such from universities and professional sports teams, they turn them around and sell them to fund trips to Africa to befriend and share blessings with orphans there (among other endeavors).

First Domestic Trip

“We just completed our first domestic trip,” says founder
Drew Boe. “We had no idea what to expect and it was one week only but we were
blown away in how well it all went!”

A team traveled San Diego, blessing those they could and learning more about the sports business. From the outside, the one day the team visited the home of the Lakers, UCLA women’s basketball, the NFL Chargers, and the Galaxy, and finished the day with USC Assistant Equipment Manager Katie Wimp, would easily be seen as the highlight.

However, it was the day at the laundromat that will be remembered as the highlight.

The Laundomat?

Yes, the laundromat.

“We went to a laundromat and blessed people there by paying
for their laundry,” Drew says. “It was simple and no strings attached. If okay,
we connected with people, heard their stories, and prayed for them.”

“I am excited about how the students are excited about doing the same kind of blessing in the cities where they work,” he says.

We spoke with Cameron Reed, an Auburn Student Equipment Manager who went on the San Diego trip.

Meet Cam Reed

Well, not really spoke with him. After we exchanged “hellos”
Cameron launched into an excited and energetic recount of the trip that chugged
along for more than 20 minutes with few breathes and no lessening of
enthusiasm.

“It was amazing and it transformed me as a person and I am a
better individual because of it,” he expounds after several paragraphs of
detailed descriptions of nearly every moment of the week.

His passion for MOAM’s work and his involvement in it causes
him to start stories, then interrupt them with the beginnings of another story
before jutting off to continue or complete another.

“We had the opportunity to do a lot of service projects,” he
says. “Free laundry for a day, and the beach outreach and we connected with
people there and invited them to a cookout and we served hamburgers and hot
dogs and chips and it was amazing.”

“Oh, hiking. We got a chance to hike and I’m a bigger guy
and it reminded me that when you make it to the top it’s beautiful. It reminded
me about life.

“We did some youth outreach and it was awesome and we connected with a lot of kids and I just got a text message from one of those kids there, literally two days ago, and these relationships last and I got a chance to talk about my journey and I was able to talk with people about Christ and that is what it is all about.”

I had to take a breath just listening to him.

“We served,” Cameron continued. “We served—that’s why we exist. I enjoyed it. I didn’t know what to expect. It was my first missions trip. I was totally, my mind was totally blown. I met a five-year-old boy who had no parents and was staying in a homeless shelter and it was a wake up call to me.

“’Hey! Cam! Stop complaining about the little things and be
thankful for what you have!’”

Whew.

Talked about God

Good stuff.

“I was able to reach out to others and talk with them about God,” Cam told us.

This is what Drew wants to hear.

“The trip. It was nearly unbelievable, really,” Drew says.

Meet Bri Adcock

The downshift required to adjust to talking with fellow team member Bri Adcock is nearly jarring.

But Bri’s sincerity and genuineness
are no less potent.

“I was a team leader in
Nigeria last summer,” she says by way of introduction. “I got to lead the first
ever domestic group and it was a great experience!”

Bri, an Administrative Assistant at the University of Akron for the Women’s Basketball, Volleyball, and Tennis teams, said the nightly team Bible study time together was the highlight of the trip for her.

MOAM – A Caring Network

“Ever since MOAM reached
out to me and introduced me to this new network of professionals in the sports
industry, I’ve been made part of this large family,” Bri says. “The people I’ve
meet – they are there for you constantly and praying for you or even helping you
make connections and find a job if you need it.

“It’s amazing!”

“It’s great to know that
there are other people with the same faith and in the same industry,” she says.

Cam: The Trip Changed Me

Cam says the San Diego trip has had long lasting effect.

“Now I wake up in the
morning and spend time with God and in His Word – the Bible,” he says. “I was a
guy who liked to stay in bed as long as I could. But not any more. I am totally
transformed.”

Cam began work at Auburn
this summer after a couple years at Wallace State community college where he
served as manager for the baseball team, and several years working in the
funeral home industry.

“I had planned to go to mortuary school, but that plan changed.” He was invited to work for the governor’s office and he accepted. After the first of two months there, an offer from the Tennessee Titans enticed him to ask for early release.

“The Governor’s office let
me go a month early and I am blessed,” Cam said. “I found out my calling is not
to work in government.”

He did a stint with the Titans as sort of an internship. He starts his work with the Auburn next month.

“I am blessed.”

Right Now

This month, Drew leads a MOAM team of 17 to and through Israel, coaching kids in various sports, learning more about that culture, and touring.

“We will be doing some
sports camps. We’ll have 50 kids the first week and 250 the second!” he says.

At the same time, a teams serves in Uganda ministering to refugees.

“We just had a couple teams return from Uganda and another team go. We are working with refugee camps and it’s been incredible,” Drew says. “Three of our students made the decision to get baptized over there earlier this summer.”

A Typical Report

Day 9 | Church in Gulu

Today our team made our way to the
community we’ll be serving in the rest of our time in Uganda for Sunday
worship. While a portion of our team shared testimonies and the message
with the adults, the majority of us took on children’s church. We acted
out Bible stories as well as taught them some new songs. It was a great
way to get to know the kids we’ll be working with the next two days!

We finished up the church service with a dance we learned from one of our
Ugandan friends we've gotten to know since arriving. One of the most
memorable parts of this trip has been learning about African culture and
how they immerse themselves in worship. So, this was a great way to wrap
up our last day of Sunday worship!

After lunch, our undefeated soccer team took on some of the students from
the school. While our competition was much younger, their energy got the
best of us. We ended up losing this time 3-0.

We got a surprise team-building experience coming back to our bus after
the soccer match. A night of heavy rains caused our bus to sink into the
muddy school grounds. After an hour of digging and finding ways to create
some traction, we tracked down a rope and finally won the game of
tug-of-war!